Phthalates
22/10/2010 - New home study: Harmful chemicals in our floors, walls
We all know that children's toys should be checked for toxic chemicals, and many studies have done so, prompting removal of harmful chemicals and recalls of harmful products. Now a new study from the Ecology Center is focusing on home improvement products like flooring and wallpaper.
What chemicals are we exposing our families to in our homes?
The report found:
- 5% of all flooring samples had detectable levels of lead. Products with the highest percent of lead included vinyl sheet flooring and vinyl tile flooring.
- Two-thirds of PVC flooring tiles contained organotin stabilizers. Some forms of organotins are endocrine disruptors and other forms can impact the developing brain and are toxic to the immune system.
- 96% of the wallpapers sampled contained polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coatings. PVC has chemical additives including phthalates, lead and cadmium, all of which are harmful to children even at low levels.
- Over 50% of PVC wallpaper samples contained one or more hazardous chemicals of concern including lead, cadmium, chromium, tin and antimony.
- Nearly one in five wallpaper samples contained detectable levels of cadmium. All wallpaper with cadmium was vinyl coated.
Read the article on SaferStates.com
25/02/2010 - Study: Chemicals Found in Common Plastics may be “Feminizing” to Boys
Lead researchers from a University of Rochester study presented a disturbing study that found that chemicals in many common household plastics may be altering male hormones in the brains of baby boys. This represents more evidence directly linking chemicals in plastics to harmful effects in humans.
Published recently in the International Journal of Andrology, the report is a clear indication of the dangers of a plastic chemical additive, called phthalates. These additives are commonly added to vinyl flooring, PVC shower curtains and many other every-day products.
Read the article on GlobalHealingCenter.com
18/11/2009 - Pregnant moms are exposed to toxic chemicals
The Washington Toxics Coalition yesterday released a study which is being called the first of its kind. The project tested nine pregnant women from Washington, Oregon and California for levels of toxic chemicals in their bodies, and thus being exposed to their fetuses. This study was completed in collaboration with Commonweal Biomonitoring Resource Center and the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition.
The women were tested in their second trimester of pregnancy. Every woman tested was found to have levels of bisphenol A, mercury, phthalates, and perfluorinated -- or "Teflon" -- chemicals in their blood. The chemical levels are alarming because the chemicals tested are known to impair brain development, disrupt hormone levels, cause reproductive issues, and lead to cancer.
Read the original article on SaferStates10/04/2009 - Scientists shocked to find link between vinyl flooring and autism
A recent scientific study looking at Swedish children and their home environment may be one of the first to show a link between autism and an environmental chemical, according to a story in Environmental Health News.
The study did not set out to focus on autism, but scientists were surprised to find a link between children with autism and the presence of vinyl flooring in the child's home. Vinyl flooring emits phthalates.
